Hostage
by BornToBeAWitch1989
Summary: A young sick woman seemingly confused gains help from our two favorite characters, Sue and Jack, from an unseen danger. Only when they are held hostage in a stuck elevator do they discover the danger. Now its' up to just one to save the day.
1. Chapter 1

I am a fan of Sue Thomas and I thought I would give it a try. It was originally going to be a one shot but after writing it, I realized it was better off as a Short story. I am going to try my best at the hand signs, while I am deaf, it is hard for me to figure out how to write out a sign and describe the motions so the non-signers could understand it. So please bear with me on that.

Enjoy the story!

**Sign-Language**

_Spoken and sign at the same time_

Disclaimers- (I so do hate this but what can I do? This is applies to the entire story.) I do not own the show nor its' characters. I own Mira and any other characters that you do not recognize.

Chapter 1

It was an unbearably hot day when a young woman in her early twenties stepped into the air-conditioned Hoover building. Her slightly mussed hair and disordered clothing barely attracted attention to her. Mira resembled Snow White with unnaturally pale skin. If anyone nearby at the moment actually took a second and closer look, they'd see someone who was extremely sick and needed help.

Mira relished the cold air for a minute that cooled her rising fever before she slowly went towards the elevators. Her hand shook as she pressed the 'up' button. She let her hair fall across her face, hiding her from the outside world, as she wrapped her arms around her mid-section hoping to squash the sick feeling she had currently.

"Are you alright?" A voice penetrated her muddled mind at the same time a hand touched her shoulder.

Mira jumped and turned to see a blonde woman looking at her with concern. It took her a few seconds to respond, but when she did, she simply nodded.

The woman cocked an eyebrow, "Are you sure?"

Her voice cracked as she responded, "Yea, I'm just…out of sorts is all."

Before the woman could open her mouth, a yellow lab that had been hidden behind her nudged her. She turned to look around. Mira realized how out of sorts she really was, as she didn't hear the man coming towards them had called out the blonde woman's name. She watched as the man maneuvered his briefcase over his shoulder as he moved his hands in the air. As soon as Mira recognized what he said, she realized the woman in front of her was deaf.

The elevator dinged, signaling its' arrival and Mira abruptly turned and entered the small room. The woman and the man followed her in. She hid herself in the back corner hoping to stop her rolling stomach.

"What floor?" The man asked her.

Mira was startled for a second, not expecting someone to talk to her. She had already forgotten that the woman spoke to her even if she knew the woman was deaf. They stared at her as she tried to remember where she was going.

"**Four**," Mira finally remembered.

The man looked at the woman with concern and pushed the button. The button was the only one lit up as they were going to the same floor.

"Hey hold the doors!"

The man quickly stopped the doors before they could close. The man that called out came into the elevator and the doors closed.

"Thanks, man," He said to the other.

"No problem," The other man said.

Suddenly the elevator screeched and came to a sudden stop.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sign-Language**

_Sign and spoken at the same time_

_Speaker voice_

*Please excuse for some of the language that comes up in the chapter*

Chapter 2

"What the hell?!" The man that entered the elevator last cried out as he stumbled to the door when it stopped suddenly.

Mira had her hands over her ears; nearly in tears because noise was so loud it gave her a sudden headache. The woman hadn't heard anything but comforted her dog when it stopped. The man she came in with quickly pressed the help button. The light flickered and went out. The emergency back-up lights came on and exuded a soft glow on the occupants.

"_Looks like we're stuck here for awhile,_" the man said and signed at the same time to everyone else.

The other man sighed, "Of course."

The darker-haired man looked at him in question.

"Sorry, it's not you. It's been a bad day since I woke up this morning," he said.

"I know the feeling. I'm Jack," he responded kindly and with a hand out.

"Bradley," the other man replied as he shook his hand.

Bradley looked at the woman.

"I'm Sue, and this is Levi," She said as she pointed to herself then to the lab beside her.

The three looked at the lone girl in the corner. Mira had her hands back down to her mid-section, she had heard what they said but she ignored them. Too focused on how she felt than to really listen and join in. She looked at them when she felt their gaze on her.

"What's your name sweetie?" Sue asked her.

Mira looked at her. She vaguely recalled her from earlier. "Uh…it's Mira. **M-I-R-A**."

Sue looked at her with surprise, "**You know sign-language**?"

Mira nodded," Yea, I'm an interpreting major…I think."

"You think?" Jack asked.

She nodded, "I'm out of sorts today. I said that already didn't I?"

Mira looked at Sue. She nodded.

"You sure you're alright?" Sue asked her.

"Yes. No. I don't know honestly," She answered.

Bradley rolled his eyes, "Great, we're stuck with a nutcase."

Mira looked at him as Levi growled.

"Hush Levi," Jack told the dog.

The speaker crackled beside him and Jack pressed a button.

"Hello?" Jack asked.

"_Hello, this is the maintenance guy. I'm gonna figure out what's wrong here and get ya goin soon. Will let you know how much longer you're stuck for."_

"Thanks," Jack replied.

"_If I can't get it working, I may have to call the firefighters. So could I have the number of how many of you in there right now?"_

"There's four of us plus a dog. Could you also let Bobby Manning know that Jack Hudson and Sue Thomas is here?"

"_Will do. Just hang tight."_

"Thanks," Jack said again before he turned towards the others.

"Who was that?" Sue asked.

"**The Maintenance guy. He will try to get us out of here as soon as he can**."

Sue nodded. Mira slid down the wall not wanting to stand much longer. She drew up her knees and set her head on them. She hid her face again by wrapping her arms around her knees and face. Levi walked to her and nudged his nose against her arm. He whined when she didn't respond to her. Then Mira wrapped an arm around Levi's neck and let it sit there. Sue and Jack shared a look, as they knew something was wrong. Bradley eyed the girl and muttered under his breath.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sign-Language**

_Sign and spoken at the same time_

_Speaker_

Chapter 3

An hour went by as Mira sat in the corner with her head still in her arms and Levi offering comfort. The three older adults had meaningless conversation just to pass the time.

"_Sorry about that folks. Looks like you're gonna be here a lot longer than I thought."_

Bradley thunked his head against the doors as Jack responded. Sue didn't even need Jack's interpretation to know what was said. She pulled off her blazer jacket to get comfortable, and that seemed to be the right thing to do at the moment because Jack mirrored her actions. Mira moved a bit, her head turning towards them with her eyes closed.

"Don't tell me she's sleepin at a time like this?" Bradley said.

"_I honestly wouldn't mind doing that_," Jack said with a smile.

Bradley scoffed and Sue rolled her eyes. Levi's whine caught the two men's attention. Jack pointed to Mira for Sue and she looked at her. Sue crawled over to Mira and noticed that she was slightly shaking and sweating. She put the back of her hand onto Mira's forehead. She turned back to the men.

"Something's wrong. She has a fever," Sue said.

Bradley took Jack's spot as he moved towards the females. Sue and Jack traded hands and he felt Mira's forehead. Sue pulled Levi from Mira's grasp. He sat in front of her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Mira?" Jack called out gently as he shook her shoulder.

She moaned and her forehead creased.

"Mira," Jack called out louder.

Mira woke up startled and she backed up into the corner.

"Whoa, hey, it's alright," Jack said, his hands up in the air in the surrender position.

Her fever-glazed eyes met his.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked.

"I'm getting awfully tired of that question," Mira whispered.

Jack laughed, "**Sorry."**

She looked around to see Sue and Levi looking at her as well as Bradley. Bradley's reflection off the door held her attention for a second. There was something familiar about the reflection but she ignored it and turned to look at Jack.

"We still in the elevator?"

Jack answered her question, "Yea we are. We will be here for a while."

She nodded in response.

"How long have you been sick?" He asked her.

She cocked her head, "How'd you know I was sick?"

"Was? You should be home or in a hospital right now," Bradley quipped.

Mira looked at him when he spoke and her face let off a look of confusion. Jack touched her shoulder and she looked at him again.

"You have a fever," He clarified for her.

"Oh," she whispered as she touched her forehead. "I was sick the last few weeks but I thought I was getting better."

"You didn't look like you were feeling good earlier," Sue gently said.

Mira looked at her, "I guess I wasn't."

"Have you gone to the _doctor?_" Sue asked.

"I did, but she didn't know what was wrong with me."

"So what are you doing here instead of at home where you should be?" Jack asked.

She squeezed her forehead, "I'm not sure. I can't remember."

Bradley scoffed, "Like I said, the girl's a nutcase."

"That's enough," Jack said, already frustrated with the other man.

Something triggered inside Mira's memories when Bradley said a specific word. She looked at the reflection of the man again and her forehead creased in intense concentration.

"I know you…don't I?" Mira said to him.

Bradley's face was suddenly expressionless. Jack knew something was wrong from the blank look.

He sighed as he pulled off his jacket, revealing the gun holster and the gun inside it.

"I really wish you hadn't said that," the man said as he pulled out his gun.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sign-Language**

_Spoken words and sign at the same time_

_Speaker_

Chapter 4

Jack quickly went to grab his gun but Bradley aimed his at him.

"Don't even think about it or the pretty girl gets it," He snarled. "Take it out and throw it over."

Jack complied and he threw his gun along the floor. Bradley kicked the gun to the corner across from Sue and Mira.

"You know, you just had to come here, where I work. I should've known poisoning you wasn't enough. A bullet to the head would've been a lot more effective than watching you puke your guts out," Bradley said to Mira.

"So that's why I've been sick?" Mira asked.

Bradley nodded, "Guess all that poison hasn't gotten to your brain yet."

"It's getting there," Mira commented wryly.

Bradley laughed, "You got yourself a sense of humor. Pity I have to kill you."

"Why?"

Bradley and the other two looked at Sue.

"Why would you want to kill her? What did she ever do to you?" Sue asked as she put an arm around Mira's shoulders. Mira shifted towards Jack to let Sue sit next to her in the corner. Jack put his arm around Mira too.

"She hasn't done anything. It's what's she's about to do," Bradley said as he pointed his gun at Mira.

"Do?" Mira asked.

Bradley stretched his legs out, "What were you doing here?"

"I don't…" Mira started.

"You do, now come on! Dig in deep girl!"

Mira looked at the floor and closed her eyes. After a few minutes, she finally remembered the reason she was in the Hoover building.

"Fourth floor," She said as she opened her eyes.

"And what's on the fourth floor?" Bradley asked.

"Homicide," Mira answered. "But it had nothing to do with you. I only came for me. I came to tell them that someone wanted to kill me…that I felt like someone was following me. I didn't think I was being poisoned."

Bradley laughed, "And I'm supposed to believe that?"

"You saw something you shouldn't have and I'm supposed to believe that you were going to them with a non-existent evidence that someone was going to kill you?"

"What I saw? I didn't see anything!" Mira protested.

Bradley suddenly stood up and the others flinched. Jack pulled his arm away from Mira and braced himself for whatever was to come. The gun-wielding man stepped towards them and grabbed Mira's arm. He pulled her up and threw her behind him. She bounced off the wall and landed on the ground. Jack growled and jumped. Bradley was ready for him and he swung his gun at him.

"Jack!" Sue cried as Jack landed on the ground with blood dripping from his forehead.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sign-Language**

_Spoken words and Sign at the same time_

_Speaker_

Chapter 5

Levi jumped to his feet, bared his teeth, and snarled at Bradley.

"Call off your dog or I shoot his brains out! Now!" He yelled at Sue while pointing a gun at the lab.

"Levi, down!" Sue said as she tugged at his collar.

Levi complied. Bradley turned to Mira behind him. She cried out when he grabbed her arms roughly, the gun pressed against one, and pulled her up.

"Don't tell me you saw nothing! I saw you girl!" Bradley whispered hoarsely.

"I swear! I don't-" Mira started.

He shook her, "Don't lie! What did you see in the reflection?"

"Reflection?" The word confused Mira but her eyes widened when she realized what he meant.

"So you do remember," He snarled as he clenched tighter.

"The mirror. I did see you," Mira said out loud. "Why'd you kill her?"

"She tried to blackmail me…said she knew I was dirty. Look where she ended up," Bradley said.

"So you're going kill me because I saw you kill her," Mira concluded.

He leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Smart girl."

He let an arm go and clenched her throat. Mira frantically slapped his arm with her free arm as he squeezed.

"Stop it!" Sue cried as she tried to wake Jack up.

Mira's face slowly went red the harder he squeezed. Suddenly Bradley grunted and slammed into Mira. He let her go as he was pulled backwards by Jack. She fell to the ground and Sue scrambled over to her. Mira coughed and drew in breaths as Sue rubbed her back.

"It'll be okay, you'll be fine," Sue said.

Sue looked back to see Jack and Bradley fighting against each other. Bradley still held onto the gun and kept trying to aim it at Jack. But the other man was smarter and kept the gun away from him. They each threw punches and kicks at each other, trying to knock the other man down. She looked back at Mira and helped her sit up when her coughing slowed down. Mira looked at the men and then down to the ground. She spotted Jack's gun in the corner beside her and she picked it up. She shakily stood up. Dizziness from the fever assaulted her and she wavered. But she caught herself in time and brought up her hand with the gun.

BANG!


	6. Chapter 6

**Sign-language**

_Spoken and sign language at the same time_

_Speaker_

*Language once again-be aware

Chapter 6

Suddenly the two men stood still as each tried to figure out who pulled the trigger. Bradley stumbled backwards as Jack probed his body. He sighed when he realized he wasn't shot but he looked up at Bradley then to Mira to see her holding the smoking gun. Bradley had a shocked look on his face as he turned to the girl.

"You bitch," Bradley gasped in realization.

Beyond pissed, he stumbled towards her, his gun raised at her. Another shot rang out and he was forced backwards from the bullet. Blood swelled and stained his crisp white shirt. He touched the blood in stunned amazement and the gun fell from his hand. Sue, Jack, Levi, and Mira stared as he fell against the wall. Jack bent over Bradley and felt for a pulse. He stood up and looked at the women.

"_He's dead_," Jack said.

Mira let out a gasp as her hand lowered. Jack stepped towards her and pulled the gun out of her hand.

"I didn't…didn't mean to kill him. Just to stop him from…from…" Mira stammered.

"I know," Jack said as he helped Sue up. "You did the right thing. Thank you."

Mira nodded and leaned against the wall. She put her head in her hands and Levi nudged her legs. She patted him on the head and stood back up again. But with her fever still raging inside her, dizziness came and she wavered towards the floor. Jack caught her before her knees could touch the carpet.

"Whoa, hey," Jack whispered as he lowered her.

He sat on the ground, her in his arms. Sue sat next to him at Mira's head. Levi set his head on Mira's stomach.

She looked up at him, "Being poisoned sucks." The fever took over and she lapsed into unconsciousness.

Jack couldn't help but laugh at her response. He looked at Sue.

"This wasn't what I was planning on doing when I woke up this morning," He remarked.

Sue let out a soft laugh.

Suddenly the lights flickered and backup generator disappeared. The elevator jerked and rose. It stopped and the doors opened to reveal Bobby Manning and the maintenance guy. They were surprised at the sight before them.

"You've been busy haven't ya, Sparky?" Bobby asked with a smirk playing on his face.


	7. Chapter 7-Epilogue

**Sign Language**

_Spoken and sign at the same time_

Epilogue

"Hey!" Jack called out when he entered Mira's hospital room a day later.

"Hi! Oh wow," Mira commented when a group of people followed Jack in.

"Sorry, this is my team. They wanted to meet the girl who saved the day," Jack explained.

"Ha, it's no problem," Mira smiled. "I'm not sure how I saved the day when you, the FBI, could've gained the upper hand at any time."

Jack laughed, "I was just waiting for you to pick up the slack."

Some of the others laughed as Mira grabbed her pillow and hit Jack. He laughed as he grabbed the pillow away from her.

"Anyways, I'll introduce you to them," Jack said. "You know Sue."

"**Hi**," Mira smiled.

"**Hi, glad to know you're alright.**"

"**Oh, I'm just peachy now.**" Mira responded with a light laugh.

Sue laughed along with her. The others looked at Mira with surprise.

"You know sign?" The black woman standing next to Sue asked.

Mira nodded, "I'm an interpreting major."

A man with light brown hair whistled, "Never would've guessed that."

"You must be Australian mate?" Mira asked with an Australian accent.

"Of course, Shelia. How'd you guess?" He asked.

"I don't know mate, I really don't know," Mira joked.

He laughed, "I'm Bobby."

"Nice to meet you," Mira said, her accent back to normal.

"And I'm Lucy," The black woman said with a smile.

Mira smiled in response.

"I'm Demetrius, but you can call me D," The black man behind Lucy said.

"Hi," Mira said.

"I'm Myles Leland, the Third," The tall gangly man between Jack and Bobby introduced himself.

"You must be an Ivy League boy," Mira said as she pulled a leg up to her chest.

Myles cocked an eyebrow, "And why, pray tell, do you think that?"

"Cause only Ivy Leaguers introduce themselves with their full name plus title the way you did."

The others stifled their laughs behind their hands. Bobby slapped Myles on the back, "She got ya pegged mate."

Myles rolled his eyes. Mira smiled at his response.

"So, what's gonna happen to me?" Mira asked Jack.

"Nothing actually," Jack replied as he set the pillow down and leaned on it. "You acted in self-defense. There's nothing the lawyers can do especially when Sue and I, even Levi, are your witnesses."

Levi barked.

"Oh, I didn't even get to say hi to you!" Mira cried. "Get up here!"

Levi looked at Sue, who nodded. He jumped up onto the bed and Mira automatically started petting him and giving him kisses. She giggled when he licked her.

"So if nothing is going to happen to me, when am I getting out? I do have to get back to school," Mira asked. "I missed out on a month of school work."

"Doc said as long as you improve well, you should be out by the end of the week," Jack replied.

"Awesome," Mira said.

Jack threw the pillow gently back at Mira, "As much as I'd like to stay longer, we can't cause we got a case."

"Aww, come back tomorrow?" Mira asked.

"Of course, I still have to meet your parents about every thing that happened."

Mira rolled her eyes.

"Then go do your job, I'll still be here," Mira said.

"Ooh, Shelia, before we go, I got a question," Bobby asked.

"Yea?"

"How'd you know how to shoot?"

Mira grinned, "_I got four older brothers."_


End file.
